EXPERIENCE

I have experience with nearly EVERY aspect of our industry, from manufacturing and motorsports to distribution, sales and marketing. I have served on the SEMA Board for one term, I am the Chairman of the SEMA Show Committee and I serve on the Youth Engagement Task Force. I’m a proud member of the SEMA President’s Club and I served as Chairman of the Young Executive Network. I know how to get things done and make real change, not just talk about it.

Background

Professional Experience

Teenage Years

I have been both a car guy and a communicator my entire life.

As a teenager I worked the counter at Performance Automotive Warehouse, and at 18 I became the youngest editor of a nationally distributed car magazine on record.

Started My Own Firm

After running PR programs for Meguiar’s, Aston Martin, Airstream, Callaway Cars and more, I knew it was my passion.

After writing a white paper called “PR 2.0: A Primer on the Convergence of Digital Marketing and Public Relations”, I started my own firm in November 2008.

College

I worked my way through a Journalism degree at Cal State Northridge by editing magazine publications.

Upon graduation took a job with Petersen Publishing as a technical editor at Rod & Custom Magazine.

A Successful Business

In the decade since, Kahn Media has grown into the largest full-service marketing firm in the automotive aftermarket.

At Kahn Media, we offer everything from public and media relations to digital marketing, social media marketing, video production, design, branding, event promotion, pricing and search engine marketing strategy, website development and even data management.

Post-Graduation

I moved on to the digital realm as an editor of a major automotive website.

After that, I jumped to the other side of the table managing PR and marketing for several motorsports sanctioning bodies and speed parts companies.

The Leading Edge

We have a staff of 24 full time in house employees at our 7,000 sq ft office just north of Los Angeles.

My team and I work with 24 of the best brands in the automotive, aftermarket and luxury space, including Jay Leno’s Garage, Coker Tire, MagnaFlow, Phillips 66, Rolex, Nitto Tire, Lund International, The Petersen Automotive Museum and many more.

Awards & Accomplishments

I’m very fortunate that SEMA has asked me to present as a speaker at the last four SEMA Shows – presenting on topics ranging from PR to digital marketing to storytelling as branding tool. I have also been a speaker at several SEMA leadership summits speaking about volunteerism, something I am very passionate about—I volunteer for personal fulfillment and to help protect our industry.

Vanguard Award

I was very honored to receive the SEMA Young Executive Network’s “Vanguard Award” for contributing to the growth and success of YEN in 2012

Valley 200

This year I was named by the Los Angeles Business Journal as part of their “Valley 200”, a list of the most influential business leaders in the region.

Creating Careers

In 2012, my company was honored by YEN (The Young Executives Network) with a special recognition award for creating career opportunities for young people in the industry.

Forbes Agency Council

I am a recently named member of the Forbes Agency Council, a national council of marketing advisors to Forbes Magazine.

35 under 35

In 2015 I was named to the SEMA “35 under 35” which is a yearly list of 35 young people who are committed to the automotive specialty-equipment industry.

SEMA Speaker

SEMA has asked me to present as a speaker at the last four SEMA Shows.

Giving Back

Volunteering Background

The automotive aftermarket has been my home my entire adult life, so I feel very strongly that giving back is critical so that I leave the industry in a better place than I found it. If not for a few key mentors, I would not be where I am today, and I hope to one day offer that same experience to younger people in the industry myself. I have served as a SEMA Volunteer in a variety of roles for the past eight years, including as a select committee member, chair-elect, chair and IPC of the Young Executives Network. I served a full year as a Council-Board Liaison the final year of the full-time liaison format (auditing 5 councils on every call and meeting).

I am also fortunate to be wrapping up my first term on the SEMA Board of directors – where I have served a variety of roles including working on the Youth Engagement Task Force and most recently leading the SEMA Show Committee as its chair. I have attended every SEMA Washington DC Rally in the past six years and am very proud that after two attempts I got our democratic congressperson to sign on and support the RPM Act – one of only a few democrats to do so.

Outside of SEMA, I am on an advisory committee to the local community college where I guest lecture about public relations and marketing, and I am on the board of directors of the Checkered Flag 200, which is the Petersen Automotive Museum’s key membership organization and charitable organization.